Look, I’m just going to say it: we have it really, really easy these days. In a world full of iPhones and Uber and meal delivery services, I’m pretty sure we’ve got it made in the shade.
Every once in a while, I find myself getting caught up in a bad case of “First World Problems.” Though they’re merely minor inconveniences that typically pop up when someone has hacked onto my Netflix or my online purchase isn’t eligible for free two-day shipping, it does sometimes blow my mind how modernized life has become even the time since I was a kid. Back then we still had to flip our tape cassettes in order to listen to side B. We had to blow into the Nintendo to get it to work. We had to know how to read a paper map when we went anywhere. The world has evolved so much over the course of my lifetime, and lucky for us, sometimes those changes are just downright delicious.
Case and point: this no-churn sugar cookie ice cream.
No-Churn Sugar Cookie Ice Cream
Can you imagine our forefathers trying to whip up something like this? They’d spend hours breaking ice, churning ice cream, making natural dyes for sprinkles. Instead of 10 minutes, a treat like this might take them all day, and I guarantee it wouldn’t taste as good. So thank you, America, for giving us just enough conveniences to make this life super yummy, festive, and fabulous. I’ll take a busted Netflix account if it means the opportunity to make homemade ice cream in a flash. So let’s get to the run-down on this no-churn sugar cookie ice cream.
As it’s name implies, this frozen treat tastes like a sprinkle sugar cookie and requires zero ice cream machine to make it. Like my other favorite no-churn ice creams, we use sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream to make the base for this ultra-creamy treat. To give it that authentic sugar cookie dough flavor, I’ve included chunks of eggless sugar cookie dough, a hefty helping of clear vanilla extract, and an abundance of sprinkles for flavor (and decorative flair, obviously).
Making the Ice Cream
To make this no-churn sugar cookie ice cream, we start by whipping cream. First, heavy whipping cream is transformed in the bowl of a stand mixer into a fluffy cloud of dairy that we fold into a single can of sweetened condensed milk. Next, clear vanilla extract and rainbow sprinkles are added to the mix along with tiny chunks of cookie dough. To make the dough, we cream butter with sugar, add a smidge of flour, vanilla, and baking powder for flavor, and follow that with even more sprinkles. Truly, this is a seriously festive treat.
Finally, the mixture freezes up into a soft and creamy no-churn sugar cookie ice cream that keeps weeks. Whenever I make this, I typically find myself hovering over the freezer drawer for five minutes at a time, devouring spoon after spoon of sugar cookie goodness. It’s just really hard to stop.
Waste no time getting around to making this no-churn sugar cookie ice cream! It’s a simple treat the whole family will enjoy, and it literally couldn’t be any easier. Enjoy!
If you like this no-churn sugar cookie ice cream you should try:
This no-churn sugar cookie ice cream is loaded with chunks of eggless cookie dough, sprinkles, and that yummy birthday cake flavor! Read more about the how-to for this simple treat here!
Author:Kate Wood
Prep Time:10
Total Time:360
Yield:1 quart
Category:Dessert
Ingredients
For the sugar cookie dough:
¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup (50 gm) brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
½ cup (70 gm) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
For the ice cream:
2 cups (470 mL) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons clear vanilla extract
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
To prepare the sugar cookie dough:
Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed with a hand mixer for one minute. Add the clear vanilla extract and stir to combine. Next, add the flour and stir on low speed until the dough almost comes together into clumps. Add the sprinkles and stir just to combine. Set aside in the fridge while you make the ice cream.
For the ice cream:
Whip the heavy whipping cream in the bowl of stand mixer on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Add the clear vanilla extract and continue whipping just until stiff peaks form. Fold the condensed milk into the whipped cream and add the sprinkles and the crumbled cookie dough when the milk is almost combined. Spread the mixture into a loaf-pan or freezer-safe container and allow to freeze until firm, about 6 hours or overnight.
The summer is in full-swing, and to keep you cool during these sweltering months, I’ve got a semi-homemade frozen treat that literally makes my mouth water just thinking about it: chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. Chewy, sweet and salty chocolate chunk cookies filled with the ice cream of you choice, these bad boys have your name written all over them.
We’ve spent the past few weeks in the sun with salty hair and bellies full of watermelon and frozen cocktails. Enjoying the beach with children is an activity I would more closely identify as “work” over “vacation,” but doing so with friends that feel like family make the effort worth it. My kids are slowly gaining a healthy respect and love for the water, and I have loved the opportunity to watch them experience new things for the first time.
I’m realizing there’s a lot of things you take for granted when you go to the beach without children for most of your life. In fact, it wasn’t until I had two overheated toddlers plastered to my sweaty thighs that I realized just how oppressive the summer heat can be. There’s sunscreen in their eyes, life jacket-induced wedgies, and never enough juice boxes to go around. The sun’s too hot, there’s sand in their pants, and somehow everyone in the water has a near-drowning experience. By the end of the trip, mom needs another vacation. #firstworldprobs
As a reprieve, I’ve retreated to the lake so that my mom can play grandmother to my babies and I can get some real R&R over the holiday week. To celebrate, you had better believe we’re noshing on these chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. These frozen treats (and a few bottles of rose) are the reason I’ll be staying sane (ok, and five pounds over my usual body weight) for the remainder of the summer.
The key to these chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches is the cookie. In order to keep this dessert as simple and stress-free as possible, we need to be able to assemble and freeze them in advance. So I’ve made this recipe to be just barely soft and chewy when frozen so that you can enjoy the goods without fussing in the kitchen all week long.
Making the Sandwiches
Like most cookies, we start these by creaming butter and sugar. These have a high percentage of brown sugar for extra chewiness. Next comes vanilla and eggs which stir in until combined. Finally we add the dry ingredients and the chopped chocolate. Be sure to use finely chopped chocolate so that you don’t bite into any hunks of chocolate once baked! While I love huge chunks in normal cookies, I don’t want to be held responsible when you crack a tooth. So just chop it. These cookies get baked just until the edges are set and they still appear slightly underdone.
Once the cookies are cool, sandwich a big scoop of ice cream right between two of them. I prefer vanilla and chocolate, but caramel, cookies and cream, or even chocolate chip would be a great addition here. It’s your pick!
Stay extra cool for the remainder of this month. These chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches are the ticket!
If you like these chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches you should check out:
These chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches have homemade thin and chewy chocolate chip cookies and are filled with ice cream of your choice! You can assemble and freeze these in advance to have tasty treats on hand in the freezer!
Author:Kate Wood
Prep Time:10
Cook Time:15
Total Time:25 minutes
Yield:11
Category:Dessert
Ingredients
1/2 cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 gm) packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (70 gm) sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1–1/4 cups (180 gm) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (5 ounces) finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (your choice)
Ice cream of your choice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.
Cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar with a mixes on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing to incorporate. Next, add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and stir on low just until combined. Add the chocolate and fold to incorporate.
Roll 1-1/2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until the outer rim of the cookies are set, starting to bronze, and the inside of the cookies still look slightly underdone. If your cookie dough balls look shiny and greasy or if you know you used butter that was too soft, allow the dough to chill in the fridge briefly, about 20-30 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely (you can speed this process up in the freezer!) prior to filling with 1/3-1/2 cup sized scoops of ice cream of your choice. Freeze or eat immediately. You can store these wrapped in the freezer for up to two weeks.
Notes
Chopping the chocolate finely is really important here! You don’t want to bite into big chunks of chocolate when the cookies are frozen. Also, using chopped chocolate instead of chips is important as the chips are designed to not melt well.
There are some things that are just better off together. Take for instance peanut butter and jelly or popcorn at the movies. Likewise, cheese tastes best with wine, Justin is stellar with Selena, and jeans are always perfect with a good-fitting white tee. I have a lot of opinions about things that go well together, particularly as it pertains to food, and today I’m sharing with you a dessert featuring my favorite match made in heaven: cake and ice cream. Today’s baked Alaska dessert is a winning combination stuffed with the Bonnie and Clyde of sweets, so let’s dive right in!
Baked Alaska?
Okay, I already know what some of you are thinking. “What is a baked Alaska?!” I hear you. Brett spent a solid month rolling his eyes at the name of this dessert, so if it’s new to you too, join the club. Baked Alaska is a classic frozen dessert with alternating layers of cake and ice cream coated in a toasted meringue. I’m not sure who came up with this little icy dream, but I’d love to give them a hug and a high five because it is delicious. I think you’ll like it too.
The Vintage Baker
This recipe for baked Alaska comes from Jessie Sheehan’s new book, “The Vintage Baker.” Featuring loads of throwback mid-century recipes updated for modern tastes, Jessie’s book is filled with baked goods that will remind you of days of old and will leave you feeling seriously hungry. Although I was really interested in a ton of the recipes from her book, I opted to test out the baked Alaska first, and I am thrilled to share it with you today!
To make the baked Alaska, we start with the cake. A dark cocoa cake bakes in a thin layer at the bottom of a 9″x13″ pan. After cooling, cut the cake into three equal-sized rectangles, sized to fit into a standard loaf pan. Line the pan in plastic wrap before alternating layers of the cake and store-bought ice cream inside of it. After filling the pan, cover the cake with plastic wrap and freeze to firm up solid.
After freezing, we whip up a simple meringue made from egg whites and sugar. The frozen cake is inverted onto a prepared plate and the whole thing gets coated in a layer of meringue. To finish off the dessert, we toast the meringue with a kitchen torch (or briefly in the oven) until the whole thing is golden brown. Baked Alaska, although seemingly complex and difficult to make, is actually an achievable semi-homemade treat!
Congratulations to Jessie on the release of her new book! Give this baked Alaska a try and let me know what you think! This is the perfect treat to wow with at your upcoming summer shindigs. Happy baking and stay tuned for another recipe coming later this week!
This recipe for baked Alaska features layers of homemade dark cocoa chocolate cake and store-bought ice cream. The whole thing is coated in toasted French meringue, making this is a show-stopping summertime dessert.
Author:Jessie Sheehan
Prep Time:30
Cook Time:30
Total Time:420
Ingredients
For the cake:
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 gm) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons (30 gm) dutch-process cocoa powder
½ cup (100 gm) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
Rounded ¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
1–1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
½ cup (120 mL) buttermilk, at room temperature
½ cup (120 mL) boiling water
1–1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
3 pints (1.4 liters) ice cream such as strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla
Meringue:
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup (200 gm) granulated sugar)
Instructions
To prepare the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by-9-by-2- inch pan with nonstick cooking spray or softened butter, line with parchment paper, and grease again Line a 9-by-5-by-3 inch loaf pan with a piece of plastic wrap that hangs slightly over all four sides.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and baking powder, and salt on low speed until well incorporated.
In a bowl, whisk together the yolks, vanilla, oil, and buttermilk until combined. With the stand mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
In the same bowl, combine the boiling water and espresso powder, add it to the batter in the mixer bowl and mix for 30 seconds on low speed until smooth.
Pour the batter into the larger, parchment paper-lined pan and bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating at the halfway point. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a moist crumb or two. Let cool completely and freeze for 30 minutes or up to 3 days, tightly wrapped.
Place the strawberry ice cream in the microwave on high power for 20 seconds, or soften it on the counter until it scoops easily but isn’t melted. Place the ice cream on the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Drape a piece of plastic wrap over the ice cream and use your hands to press it down into a flat, even layer.
Cut the cake into three 4-inc wide pieces. Place 1 piece of the cake over the strawberry ice cream and press down. Return the other two pieces to the freezer.
Soften the chocolate ice cream as you did the strawberry. Using plastic wrap and your hands, spread it into an even flat layer over the cake. Place another piece of the cake over the chocolate ice cream and press down. Repeat with the vanilla ice cream and the last piece of cake The last piece will be above the edge of the pan.
Freeze until hard, at least 4 hours, preferable overnight, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
For the meringue:
Whisk the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high speed until foamy. Slowly add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, at least five minutes.
Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and lift out the cake using the plastic wrap sling. Dip the bottom of the pan briefly in hot water if it has trouble releasing. Invert the cake onto a heatproof serving platter (the bottom layer is now the top) and generously cover the cake in meringue using an offset spatula or butter knife. Using a kitchen torch, if you have one, gently brown the meringue, or place the cake under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes, watching closely to make sure it does not burn.
Slice the cake with a long serrated knife and serve immediately. It is best the day it is made, but will keep in the freezer, lightly wrap in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.
I’m having a great day. I’m talking extra whipped cream on your frappacino kind of day. An accidental sale at Madewell kind of day. A find a twenty dollar bill in the pocket of your old jeans kind of day. Listen, we don’t need a reason to celebrate around here, but darnit, if we did we would have it.
So what are we celebrating? For starters, Brett and I are celebrating 5 years of marriage! True, 5 years of marriage is nothing compared to 10, 20, or 50 years, but if you’re already married you know that most days it’s a miracle you made it past the first 12 months. Little victories, people, little victories!
Next, it’s my Mom’s birthday! This is the same lady who gave me life! The one who took care of me when I had the stomach bug and loved me through that whole year I had a big wart on my foot. My beautiful Mama is the most joyful, kind, servant-hearted human I know, and I love her so much that I could weep. (I’m not crying, you’re crying!) This year she celebrates that really special birthday that comes right after 49 and right before 51. I don’t feel bad about telling you her age because she’s a mega-babe and most of my guys friends from high school would confirm that. (You guys are gross, BTW.)
Finally, we’re celebrating my half birthday! Yes, I know it’s a bit narcissistic of me to celebrate something so insignificant, but for all the shade people typically throw at turning 30, I’d say it deserves a little love. The past 6 months have been nothing short of a learning experience, and I feel like I want to drop some knowledge on the cool things I learned in my newest decade. So here’s a short list of the very important (and not-so important) things that 30 has taught me:
It’s okay to lie about your age. Your babysitter, the shoe salesman, or that cute guy at the bar will not have a clue. BUT! If you’re 30 and rocking it, shout it from the rooftops. If you feel like 25, dance like you’re 24. And if you’re sexy and you know it, let everyone else buy in too.
Eating fast is a normal thing. Admittedly, this is not something I’m proud of. I’m actively working to slow down and enjoy my food instead of inhaling it like a Dyson Super-Vac. But if 30 (and motherhood) has taught me anything it’s that angry toddlers will wait for no one. That plate of leftovers will not eat itself. You dig?
Trends are weird. I’m not sure if it’s because I have a nosebleed section view of the fashion world or if I just have so little time to care, but what I do know is this: I recently saw a photo of Kim Kardashain wearing a pair of orthotic sneakers that are most commonly sported by the elderly population. Apparently these are cool. Thus, I know nothing.
Botox is your friend. It is not just for people who are dying to look like Joan Rivers or Carrot Top. It is not strictly reserved for desperate housewives who spend their weekends drinking chardonnay and seducing cabana boys. Botox will make you look like you, but with less wrinkles. I have been doing small treatments for almost year now, and is it worth every penny.
It’s not too late. This is my new motto for pretty much everything. As in, it’s not too late to learn a new language. It’s not too late to be a tennis player. It’s not too late to teach your husband how to load the dishwasher. There’s a first time for everything, and this old dog plans on learning lots of new tricks.
With that being said, it’s not too late. As in, it’s not to late to say you’re sorry. It’s not too late to make things right. It’s not too late to be joyful! Peaceful! Humble! Graceful! When the world tells you you’re someone you don’t want to be, prove them wrong. It’s not too late to be a new creation; it’s not too late to be the person you want to be.
Day drinking is totally acceptable. At 30, you’ve passed the college-age threshold where drinking beer instead of going to class is worrisome. If people judge you for cocktailing at noon, remind them that you’re a grown up. Do what you want.
As you get older, so do other people. This is hard. Watching the people you love age and struggle feels so unnatural. It feels unjust, out of place. I don’t really have any wisdom to shed on this, but sometimes things aren’t okay and that’s okay. If you’re hurting in this area, know that you’re not alone.
Be teachable. For example, when my husband tells me I’m wrong, my instincts tell me to yell back, “SHUT UP, YOU’RE WRONG. YOUR MOM IS WRONG. YOUR FIRST NAME IS WRONG!” Instead, 30-1/2 years are telling me to respond by listening with patience and kindness. Something along the lines of, “You’re probably wrong, but feel free to explain your point of view.” Like I said, be teachable. I have a lot of room for growth in this area, but I’m told that acknowledgement is the first step.
Life is short. Eat dessert first. I learned this early on in life, but at 30, I’m embracing it. Let’s start living this truth with a slice of strawberry icebox pie.
This strawberry icebox pie is the bomb.com for about a hundred reasons. It’s completely no-bake; also, it can be made ahead in less that 30 minutes. and it tastes like a fluffy, frozen heavenly cloud. If that’s not reason enough to make this strawberry icebox pie forevermore, then 30 has taught me nothing.
To make your own strawberry icebox pie, we start with the crust! Graham crackers, pecans, brown sugar, and butter get a quick whiz in the food processor until a wet sand consistency comes together. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a 9″ springform pan and set it aside while you prep the rest of the pie.
For the filling, frozen strawberries are pulsed to icy slush and added to a smooth mixture made of whipped cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Once the berries have been added, fresh whipped cream is folded in to give the mixture some body. Essentially, we’re making thin no-churn ice cream here, one that will take on the semblance of an ice cream pie once frozen. Pour the mixture over top of the prepared crust and place the whole thing in the freezer to set up completely.
Covered with a piece of foil, this strawberry icebox pie will keep for several weeks, but I can promise you’ll want to dive in sooner than that. This is a really simple frozen treat to make, but it’s also highly adaptable too! You can sub in frozen raspberries, blueberries, or even peaches for the strawberries. Just pick your poison and enjoy.
I’m sharing this strawberry icebox pie with a number of other bloggers who think #strawberriesarethejam. Thanks to Becca, Ruth,Annie, and Joy for making this a fun collaboration. Please check out their sites to get links to a number of other strawberry-filled recipes! Thanks for celebrating with me today, and I hope you enjoy this strawberry icebox pie!
If you like this strawberry icebox pie, you should check out:
This strawberry icebox pie is a creamy, frozen dessert that is make head, simple, and requires less than 30 minutes of prep time. A sweet and salty crust, sweet and creamy filling, and tart fruit makes the most of this warm-weather treat that a crowd can enjoy!
Author:Kate Wood
Prep Time:30
Total Time:360
Ingredients
For the crust:
9 (140 gm) graham cracker sheets
¾ cup (80 gm) pecans
¼ cup (50 gm) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
16 ounces (450 gm) frozen strawberries
1–1/4 cup (300 gm) heavy whipping cream
1– 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
4 ounces (110 gm) cream cheese, at room temperature
Extra whipped cream or fresh strawberries for serving, if desired
Instructions
To prepare the crust:
Combine the graham crackers, pecans, light brown sugar, and salt in a food processors or blender and process until the crackers are in crumbs and everything is well combined. Pour the crumbs into a bowl and stir in the butter to combine. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a 9” springform pan and set aside while you prepare the filling.
To prepare the filling:
Set the strawberries out at room temperature while you prepare the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, use a whisk/whisk attachment to whip the 1-1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks have formed. Set aside. Process the frozen berries in a food processor or a blender until they have been reduced to a thick icy slush. Some larger (1/8-1/4”) chunks will still exist. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. If the cream cheese will not incorporate, it could be that it is too cold, so set it out at room temp until you can cream the two together. Beat the berries into the cream cheese mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then fold in the whipped cream. The mixture will still be a little loose, but be sure to not overwork it. Pour the mixture on top of the prepared pie crust, cover the pan with a sheet of plastic wrap, and place on an even surface in the freezer until solid, about 6 hours or overnight. Once frozen, set out 10 minutes at room temperature prior to slicing. Serve with additional whipped cream or fresh berries, if desired.
Y’ALL. It’s already here, and I’m so excited that I could almost pee my pants. We’re celebrating something way better than Christmas morning, the first day of school, or even a second date with a major hottie, because today marks the beginning of MONTH OF CHOCOLATE.
Month of Chocolate
Do you guys remember all the chocolate shenanigans we partook in last year? There were homemade chocolates and a white chocolate layer cake. There was a hazelnut mocha cream pie and two minty desserts: sandwich cookies and a mint brownie ice cream cake. We played with cocoa powder and dark chocolate bars, mini chocolate chips and fudgy ganache. Basically it was a sticky-sweet month of decadent chocolate desserts, and those few short days were so glorious that it had to be a tradition in the making. So people, today we start the second annual #monthofchocolate, and yes, it’s okay to cry real tears of joy. I know I am.
Turtle Ice Cream
Before you get too hot and heavy on all this chocolate business, let’s chill out with one of the best homemade ice creams I have ever had the pleasure of shoveling down my gullet. It’s turtle ice cream, a rich and creamy chocolate ice cream swirled with toasted pecans, hot fudge sauce, and salty-sweet caramel. Perfectly sweet with just a teensy bit of crunch, and every bit as decadent as a chocolate ice cream should be. Let’s chat about how to make it.
For the best turtle ice cream, we need the best sauces to mix into it. To make my favorite homemade caramel, we cook sugar and water in a saucepan until it has bronzed to an amber hue. Next, warm cream is added to transform that caramelized sugar into a gooey sauce. Once combined, the caramel is finished with a bit of butter and a helping of salt.
My favorite hot fudge sauce is even easier to make. Cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt and chocolate are melted together in a saucepan until boiling. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes and then add the butter, vanilla, and even more chocolate. Allow both sauces to cool before adding to your ice cream, or, better yet, make them a day or two in advance. They will keep well in the fridge.
Making the Ice Cream
The base for this turtle ice cream is adapted from Jeni Britton Bauer’s genius recipe. Cream, milk, and evaporated milk are cooked with sugar and corn syrup until boiling. Cocoa powder is added next, followed by a cornstarch slurry that will thicken up the turtle ice cream. Continue to cook the mixture until thick and bubbly, and then add the remaining ingredients: chopped bittersweet chocolate and salt.
The mixture needs to chill completely before we attempt to process it in the ice cream machine, so to speed up the process, I like to use Jeni’s ice bath method. Pour the hot cream mixture into a gallon-sized plastic bag and fill the sink or a giant bowl with ice water. Submerge the plastic bag in the icy water to cool the mixture in about 30 minutes. Once completely chilled, the mixture is ready to be processed in an ice cream machine.
Churning the Ice Cream
You can follow the manufacturer’s instructions to freeze the ice cream base into a chocolatey oasis. For reference, my machine usually requires 20 minutes. Just whiz it in your machine until it is the consistency of fro-yo and then layer in your ingredients. I add a quarter of the ice cream to the pan and then sprinkle on the pecans. Drizzle spoonfuls of each sauce in next, and then repeat the process until all of the ice cream has been sauced up. Swirl it all together with a knife and then freeze the container in a cold part of your freezer for about 6 hours, or overnight.
This turtle ice cream is a sweet and salty tribute to chocolate, the perfect way to start the #monthofchocolate festivities. Be sure to pop by here every week for the rolls, bars, and other delightful confections that you won’t want to miss out on. Give this turtle ice cream a try and let me know what you think! HAPPY CHOCOLATE DREAMING, Y’ALL!
If you like this turtle ice cream you should check out:
This turtle ice cream has a creamy chocolate base, toasted pecans, and swirls of hot fudge and salted caramel sauce. Sweet, salty, nutty, and delicious.
Author:Kate
Prep Time:35
Total Time:400
Ingredients
1 cup (240 mL) whole milk
5 teaspoons cornstarch
3 ounces (85 gm) bittersweet chocolate
¼ teaspoon salt
1–1/2 cups (360 mL) heavy whipping cream
1 (12 ounce) can regular evaporated milk, not nonfat
¾ cup (150 gm) sugar
¼ cup (80 gm) light corn syrup
1/3 cup (25 gm) cocoa powder
1/3 cup (30 gm) toasted pecans, finely chopped
¼ cup hot fudge sauce, melted but not too hot
¼ cup salted caramel sauce, melted but not too hot
Instructions
Combine two tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ice cream, but re-stir this mixture occasionally. Chop the bittersweet chocolate and place in a medium sized mixing bowl with the salt. Make an ice bath in a large bowl or your kitchen sink big enough for a gallon-sized plastic bag.
Combine the remaining milk, whipping cream, evaporated milk, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium sized (at least 4 quart) saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Add the cocoa powder and whisk to combine, continuing to cook for an additional 4 minutes. To mixture will foam and bubble up, so be sure to keep stirring to keep smaller pans from overflowing! Pull the pan from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Place back over heat and continue to cook, stirring with a spoon or a spatula, for about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Slowly drizzle the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate and salt, stirring regularly. Once all is combined and smooth, pour the contents of the bowl into a gallon-sized plastic bag. Place the sealed bag in the prepared ice bath and allow to chill until cold.
Once the mixture is chilled, pour the contents of the bag into a prepared ice cream processing machine. Make sure that your ice cream bowl is adequately chilled. Process the ice cream according to manufacturer’s instructions until thick and fluffy, like the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Spoon ¼ of the ice cream into a loaf pan or a container large enough to freeze the ice cream in. Drizzle with ¼ of the hot fudge and caramel and sprinkle with pecans. Repeat this process 3 more times until all the ice cream, sauces, and nuts have been used. Use a knife to swirl in the mix-ins and cover your loaf pan with a sheet of foil. Place the pan in the freezer to firm up, about 6 hours or overnight. Allow the ice cream to sit out for 5 minutes prior to scooping and ENJOY!
Before we dive in to today’s hot fudge sundae cake, I need your help. I’m reaching out to you, human to human, desperately in need of encouragement, advice, whatever you’ve got for me.
You see, I recently decided to branch out beyond my usual arsenal of dinner recipes. I had grown comfortable with simple dinners of a lean meat, vegetable, and starch, and wanted to start experimenting with new recipes and flavors. It seemed realistic to incorporate one new recipe into our weekly rituals, so I made that my goal and started cooking new things.
Unmet Expectations
Like most new ventures of my naive adulthood, I began this quest with grandiose expectations. I saw my family sitting around the dinner table, happily slurping bowls of Vietnemese pho. Aimee operates her chopsticks with age-defying precision and George requests extra pickled onions. No one picks through their food, complains, or asks “what’s for dessert” because they’re entirely enamored with their super-authentic, made-from-scratch meal. “And honey, is that a new dress? You look almost as ravishing as this bowl of noodles!”
There’s other nights too, ones where Brett suddenly develops a deep appreciation for mushrooms and we dive into hearty dishes like creamy polenta with braised beef cheek and chanterelles. Aimee and I pick herbs from our garden for spicy fish tacos and even spicier red curries, margaritas and mango lassies entirely optional.
In theory, it all works. I shop for groceries, sweat over the stove, and people enjoy the food. It should be a given, right?
Dinnertime Terror
Wrong. Instead, dinnertime is a personal beating, a full-blown assassination of this mother’s morale, as not one but three pairs of eyes stare at their dinner with disgust and despair. There’s no tofu meatloaf or fried frog legs on the table- just a simple meal of (what I wrongfully assumed to be) dinnertime basics- things like broccoli, chicken, and quinoa. You’d think I was serving a whole human head with a side of gun powder and hand grenades.
Brett pushes his food around and proceeds to ask 125 questions about the preparation of the ingredients on his plate. Aimee goes to time out twice during dinner and has to be hand-fed broccoli florets in order for her to consume her second and third bites. The floor around George’s highchair is covered with food, a million little quinoa granules that someone (read: Mom) will have to clean up after suffering through this God-forsasken meal. What even is this?
Am I Going Crazy?
So here I am, attempting to nourish my family with delicious and interesting food with absolutely zero luck. Everywhere in the media, writers and doctors and mommy bloggers go on and on about the importance of incorporating wholesome food and unique ingredients into everyday life. Gweneth Paltrow write a 550 word think piece on the necessity of beet roots while Ina Garten laughs in the face of store-bought chicken stock, but I’m over here just trying to get my kids to eat anything besides yogurt-covered raisins.
Even my own mother, a saint in her own right, sends me a box of tools I need to prepare kefir water, because not only is it essential for gut health but what kind of mother would I be if my children drank filtered refrigerator water, and who cares that you’ve killed every house plant you’ve ever owned because feeding organic cane syrup to this jar of fermenting water is the only means by which your family will survive! I ask you, HOW I AM SUPPOSED TO KEEP ALL OF THESE THINGS ALIVE?!?
How Do We Do It?
So how do you do it, Moms? How do you feed your family well? And please don’t write to me about how simple your toddler’s vegan diet is or how you hand-mash your infant’s acorn squash that you grew in your 15-acre organic garden, because honestly, I might institutionalize myself. I want to hear it from the moms who have to will themselves not to order pizza every night. I want to learn from the moms who have to bootstrap it, night after night, just to encourage a diet from their family that expands beyond brown-and-serve sausage links and applesauce squeeze packs. What is our plan for feeding our family well when everyone at the table (self included) is crying? When hotdogs and Kraft singles seem like the easier path to follow?
Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
I need the opportunity to throw in the towel for a minute. Instead, for now, I’ll make dessert. No one cries at the sight of a hot fudge sundae cake. Everyone wins when mom makes a dessert like this.
I came up with this cake last year for my mother. She’s a huge fan of Bruster’s hot fudge sundaes and that was the single request for her birthday. In fact, I made several personal phone calls to the kind people at our local Bruster’s because I just had to learn more about these illusive Dixie nuts that my mom wouldn’t stop talking about. I discovered that these ultra-desirable nuts were nothing more than finely chopped mixed nuts roasted with butter and a healthy helping of salt.
Sidenote: Call me a child, but listening to my mother rave about how much she loved these nuts was giving me all the Michael Scott “That’s What She Said” feels. These are entirely inappropriate conversations to have with your parents and, okay, anyone over the age of 50. If your mother starts talking about Dixie nuts, do yourself a favor and just change the subject.
Making the Cake
To make this hot fudge sundae cake, you need a baked package of brownie mix. We all know boxed brownies are actually delicious, so just cut yourself some slack, okay? The baked brownies are layered with a simple, no-churn vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce, and the infamous Dixie nuts. We coat the whole thing in an extra layer of the whipped ice cream, more fudge, and a few cherries on top because that what you do with ice cream sundaes, right?
The beauty of this cake is that you can make it as easy as you need it to be. I love this recipe for homemade hot fudge sauce, but if you desperately need to simplify, just buy it from the store. Don’t want to make the no-churn ice cream? Buy a half-gallon of the real deal in the freezer section and no one will ever know. This hot fudge sundae cake should make your life infinitely better, not harder, so if at any point you find yourself crying into a pan of Dixie nuts, just abort the plan and eat the brownies straight from the pan. You have my permission.
I’m not going to jabber on and on about this hot fudge sundae cake, because I know you already have one foot out the door on your way to get the ingredients. If you, like me, have had a time of it this past week, throw a bottle of wine in your cart and tell your family they can order carry-out. You’ve got a hot fudge sundae cake to make. For extra help on assembling multi-layer ice cream cakes like this, check out this post. Enjoy!
If you like this hot fudge sundae cake, you should check out:
This hot fudge sundae cake is inspired by the ice cream shop specialty. A few layers of brownies, no-churn vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, and salty buttered nuts.
Author:Kate Wood
Prep Time:60
Cook Time:240
Total Time:5 hours
Ingredients
For the brownies:
1–20 ounce box of Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix, plus the ingredients to prepare them with (see notes)
For the salted nuts:
1 cup unsalted mixed nuts, chopped (I use almonds, peanuts, cashews, pecans, or walnuts. Whatever you prefer)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon salt
For the ice cream mixture:
1–1/2 cup (360 mL) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (100 gm) sugar, divided
6 ounces (170 gm) cream cheese, room temperature
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (vanilla extract can be substituted)
1 cup prepared hot fudge sauce (see notes)
Maraschino cherries (If desired)
Instructions
To prepare the brownies:
Preheat the oven according to brownie package instructions. Grease two 6” round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper for easy removal from pan. Alternatively, you can grease one 9” springform pan, also lining it with a parchment paper round.
Prepare brownie batter according to package instructions. Divide the batter evenly between the two 6” pans or single 9” springform pan. Bake the brownies according to package instructions until done. Allow to cool completely. You can expedite this process in the fridge.
To prepare the salted nuts:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the chopped nuts, butter, and salt in a small bowl. Spread the nuts out on a small baking sheet and bake in the oven to toast, tossing every few minutes, until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
To prepare the ice cream mixture:
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cold cream with a whisk attachment on medium-low speed until foamy. Add ¼ cup of the sugar and increase the speed, whipping until stiff peaks form. Remove the whipped cream to a separate bowl and store in the fridge until ready to use.
In that same large bowl or bowl of stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl along the way as needed. Add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and vanilla and beat briefly to combine.
Fold in ½ of the whipped cream mixture until almost uniform. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold until well combined, being sure to not overwork it. Store this mixture in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble your cake.
To prepare the cake:
Remove both brownies rounds from the pan and remove the parchment liner from the bottom of one brownie cake. Line the sides of one of the 6” pans (or the 9” springform pan) with and acetate sheet (see notes) or a sheet of parchment paper barely longer than length of the diameter of the 6” pan, folded in half lengthwise to serve as long, reinforced sheet of parchment. Tape the acetate sheet or parchment to secure along the sides of the pan as needed.
If making a 2 layer 6” cake, place the layer of brownie with the parchment sheet still attached into the bottom of the prepared pan. Smooth 1-1/4 cups of the ice cream mixture evenly over top of it. Sprinkle with approximately ¾ of the nuts. Drizzle on 1/3 cup of hot fudge sauce.
Place the second layer of brownie on top of the fudge sauce. Smooth an additional 1-1/4 cup of ice cream mixture on top. Place the whole pan in the freezer and freeze until solid, about 6 hours. Place the remaining ice cream mixture in the fridge.
If making a single layer 9” cake in a springform pan, place the brownie into the bottom of the lined pan. Drizzle the brownie with ½ cup hot fudge sauce and sprinkle 2/3 of the nuts on top. Spread the ice cream mixture on top, reserving about 1 cup to frost the sides, if desired. Freeze in the freezer until solid, about 6 hours.
When ready to frost the cake, carefully remove the cake from the pan and pull off the acetate sheet. Use the remaining ice cream mixture to “frost” the cake. Drizzle the remaining hot fudge sauce on top and decorate the cake with any additional ice cream mixture, nuts, or cherries. Store the cake in the freezer and thaw 5 minutes prior to eating.
Notes
I prefer to use Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix, but you can use whatever standard box mix you prefer. It just needs to be enough to make an 8-9” pan of brownies.
I keep a jar of homemade fudge sauce in my fridge, but a store-bought fudge sauce is fine. See the link in blog post to check out the hot fudge sauce from Gourmet Magazine that I prefer.
To be sure that your cream cheese is soft enough, you can spread it out in an even layer on a plate and microwave briefly for about 10 seconds. This will help to ensure your cream cheese is soft enough to cream easily. Be sure not to melt your cream cheese though!
Be sure your hot fudge sauce is not too hot when assembling cake or you will melt the whole thing!
See the link in blog post for some notes on building naked cakes with acetate sheets.
Bonjour, y’all! Is it cool if we get boozy on a Tuesday? Can we agree to put out some beach vibes even if it’s from the desk of our chair at work? Today I’m sharing these BBC popsicles with you (that’s Bailey’s, banana, and coconut!), and in order to do so, I’ve gotta do some backpedaling. You need hear about the vacay to St. Barth’s that inspired these bad boys. So let’s dive in!
St. Barth’s
At the end of May, Brett and I traveled with our main squeeze BFFs to St. Barth’s, the sunny overseas collectivity of France located in the West Indies. The island had long been on my bucket list and I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to go. Two flights and a dicey puddle jumper was all it took to transport us to a place that felt a world away. Within minutes of landing on the island, I could tell that we weren’t in Kansas (erm, Alabama) anymore.
St. Barth’s is a small tropical island with stunning white sand beaches and crystal waters surrounding otherwise green and rocky terrain. While the island is very French in terms of language, culture, and cuisine, it is well-traveled by American and European tourists who are seeking out privacy, glamour, and a few glasses of bubbly from the comfort of their beach chair. It’s basically Posh Spice meets Jimmy Buffet which is somehow right up my alley.
The party scene at Nikki Beach is WILD. We danced on our table (don’t worry, Mom, no stripping) and drank cocktails out of copper pineapples. WUT?!
Some scenes from our stay at Le Toiny.
Eden Rock
Our time was split between two resorts, Eden Rock and Le Toiny, which would provide us with two different island experiences. The first half of our trip at Eden Rock was spent downing frozen cocktails and bronzing our pasty areas, taking those lazy beach moments to do some serious people watching. While the other three read and napped in their beach chairs, I chipped away at another bucket list item of mine, practicing French from the Duolingo app on my phone. By night, we indulged in some island delicacies and absolutely killed the restaurant scene. Trust when I say there was no carb left behind.
I wasn’t prepared for the amount of European-style sunbathing that we would be met with, and we found ourselves eye-to-eye with a few “pairs” on more than one occasion. While most of the gals running around topless were older women sporting a situation that was most akin to a set of fried eggs on a stick, we did come across some girls who, I can only assume, were Armenian swimsuits models. These were women that had clearly never birthed or nursed children, and I would chalk them up under “People I Never Want to Share a Beach With Ever Again.”
I don’t have terrible body image, but I learned on this vacation that I’m not ready for that level of distraction while on a romantic vacation with my husband. If anyone is going to be topless, it will be me (and it will be in the privacy and comfort of my own villa, please and thank you).
Le Toiny was the perfect “unplug” location. Also, anywhere that will bring you French rosé in the pool is okay with me.
Le Toiny
Our second resort, Le Toiny, was a quiet retreat tucked in the green mountainside on the other end of the island. Every inch of the resort felt serene, like we had discovered a private oasis of sorts. We spent our days there sipping rosé at the pool, and relaxing in the privacy of our rooms. We trekked the hilly, goat-studded mountainside next to our hotel and visited many of the island’s beaches that each felt like private Caribbean treasures- unspoiled, raw, stunning. Brett tooled us around the island in a little blue Moke, a vehicle that drove like a go-cart and sported a testy gear shift and a tarped roof. I gained a few gray hairs skidding around the island on those four wheels, but I’ll be darned if we didn’t make some memories.
Eden Rock had some serious rockstar vibes. If you’re looking for cool factor, delicious breakfast, and perfect beachside cocktails, Eden Rock is the place.
BBC
There were a lot of highlights on our trip, but one of my absolute favorite discoveries was the BBC- Bailey’s, banana, and coconut. The BBC is a blended frozen drink made with fresh banana, cream of coconut, and a touch of booze from a shot of Bailey’s. I ordered one on the first day of our trip and it was love at first taste. Creamy, tropical, and ultra-decadent, the BBC replaced every space in my heart previously occupied by pina coladas, mudslides, and the good ole’ Miami Vice. The BBC and I are new forever friends.
Upon returning from our vacation, I began taste testing some of my own and eventually decided to up the ante be creating a BBC popsicle. I’m a firm believer that cocktails and dessert are always appropriate, so combining the two seemed like a natural fit. After a few test runs, I landed the perfect mixture of booze, fruit, and cream, and now I can relive my St. Barth’s trip (sans the boobs) with my very own BBC popsicles.
How to Make Them
This boozy treat does not disappoint. With only three ingredients, six if you count the chocolate shell and shredded coconut, these BBC popsicles are simple to prepare, inexpensive to make, and the coolest way to bring some booze to your beach parties from here on out. To make your own BBC popsicles, simply combine 1/2 cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream with 1 cup of cream of coconut and 2 large bananas in a blender. Puree until smooth and pour the mixture into a popsicle mold. I use this one at home, but you can check out my post here for some ideas on how to make popsicles if you don’t have a mold.
The Chocolate Shell
Once the pops are frozen solid, you have the option of dipping them in chocolate. Simply melt together some bittersweet chocolate and coconut oil, stirring until glossy and smooth. Dip the unmolded BBC popsicles into the chocolate mixture and sprinkle on some toasted coconut, if you’re into that kind of thing. Allow them to firm back up in the freezer or feel free to dive right in! The chocolate shell can soften the popsicle, so just know you’re in for a mess if you opt to eat them right away.
The booze in these BBC popsicles is 100% necessary, but be sure to get your measurements right. Alcohol doesn’t freeze so if you add too much booze or not enough banana and coconut, you may wind up with mushy pops on your hands. The chocolate shell is completely optional, but I think it certainly makes them a little more festive.
I’m leaving you all a list with our favorite things to eat and do in St. Barth’s. If you plan to head that way any time soon, please consider these a must. If I ever make my way to St. Barth’s again, I can promise you I’ll find a BBC. In the meantime, what are your favorite beach drinks? Are there any Caribbean locations I need to add to my bucket list?
Bonito Our favorite meal in St. Barth’s. Beautiful view and terrific food in the heart of Gustavia. Tamarin Beautiful garden dining in this open air restaurant. Fresh seafood and terrific wines. Orega French-Japanese fusion at this Gustavia restaurant. Excellent sashimi and sushi rolls! Cabane De L’Isle Beachside dining at Cheval Blanc Resort. We had our best cocktails at this restaurant which also offered a deliciously eclectic menu. Maya’s To Go Perfect grab-and-go meals for beach picnics. 25 Quarter The best bar we happened upon. The widest selection of bourbons on the island and terrific cocktails to match. Boulangerie Choisy Lunch, coffee, and french pastries. A must stop. Hotel Le Toiny We were happy to dine at our hotel for dinner one evening. Quiet, romantic, private, delicious.
What We Did in St. Barth’s
Snorkle and sunbathe at Gouverneur Beach Hike to Columbier Beach People watch on St. Jean Beach
Sunday Brunch Party at Nikki Beach
Shop in St. Jean
Shop in Gustavia
A dessert take on the popular beach cocktail, these BBC popsicles are sweet and creamy, made from Bailey’s, banana, and coconut. The whole thing is dipped in a chocolate shell and sprinkled with toasted coconut.
Author:Kate Wood
Prep Time:5
Cook Time:360
Total Time:6 hours 5 minutes
Yield:10
Ingredients
For the popsicles:
2 large bananas (about 280 gm total once peeled)
½ cup (120 mL) Bailey’s Irish Cream Liquor
1 cup (240 mL) cream of coconut
½ cup (120 mL) water
For the chocolate shell:
½ cup (90 gm) bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil
¼ cup toasted coconut, if desired
Instructions
Combine all of the popsicle ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Divide the mixture among 10 popsicles molds (see notes), insert the popsicles sticks, and freeze until solid for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
Once frozen solid, remove the popsicles from the molds and place on a sheet of parchment paper in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate shell.
Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring thoroughly after each round until smooth. Once smooth, allow to cool about 5 minutes. Then, dip each popsicle in the chocolate shell and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Place back in the freezer to freeze solid or enjoy immediately.
Notes
I use a popsicle mold that makes 10-2.5 ounces popsicles. Your yield will change if you make smaller or larger popsicles. The preparation and ingredients will remain the same.
The alcohol in these popsicles will cause them to melt faster than some popsicles. Be sure to keep them frozen until you’re ready to enjoy them.
If you are unable to find large bananas, use a few smaller ones. Total weight of the edible portion should be 280 gm.
The chocolate shell is entirely optional. For a quick boozy treat, just skip the shell.
Bonjour, y’all! Is it cool if we get boozy on a Tuesday? Can we agree to put out some beach vibes even if it’s from the desk of our chair at work? Today I’m sharing these BBC popsicles with you (that’s Bailey’s, banana, and coconut!), and in order to do so, I’ve gotta do some backpedaling. You need hear about the vacay that inspired these bad boys. So let’s dive in!
St. Barth’s
At the end of May, Brett and I traveled with our main squeeze BFFs to St. Barth’s, the sunny overseas collectivity of France located in the West Indies. The island had long been on my bucket list and I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to go. Two flights and a dicey puddle jumper was all it took to transport us to a place that felt a world away. Within minutes of landing on the island, I could tell that we weren’t in Kansas (erm, Alabama) anymore.
St. Barth’s is a small tropical island with stunning white sand beaches and crystal waters surrounding otherwise green and rocky terrain. While the island is very French in terms of language, culture, and cuisine, it is well-traveled by American and European tourists who are seeking out privacy, glamour, and a few glasses of bubbly from the comfort of their beach chair. It’s basically Posh Spice meets Jimmy Buffet which is somehow right up my alley.
The party scene at Nikki Beach is WILD. We danced on our table (don’t worry, Mom, no stripping) and drank cocktails out of copper pineapples. WUT?!
Some scenes from our stay at Le Toiny.
Eden Rock
Our time was split between two resorts, Eden Rock and Le Toiny, which would provide us with two different island experiences. The first half of our trip at Eden Rock was spent downing frozen cocktails and bronzing our pasty areas, taking those lazy beach moments to do some serious people watching. While the other three read and napped in their beach chairs, I chipped away at another bucket list item of mine, practicing French from the Duolingo app on my phone. By night, we indulged in some island delicacies and absolutely killed the restaurant scene. Trust when I say there was no carb left behind.
I wasn’t prepared for the amount of European-style sunbathing that we would be met with, and we found ourselves eye-to-eye with a few “pairs” on more than one occasion. While most of the gals running around topless were older women sporting a situation that was most akin to a set of fried eggs on a stick, we did come across some girls who, I can only assume, were Armenian swimsuits models. These were women that had clearly never birthed or nursed children, and I would chalk them up under “People I Never Want to Share a Beach With Ever Again.”
I don’t have terrible body image, but I learned on this vacation that I’m not ready for that level of distraction while on a romantic vacation with my husband. If anyone is going to be topless, it will be me (and it will be in the privacy and comfort of my own villa, please and thank you).
Le Toiny was the perfect “unplug” location. Also, anywhere that will bring you French rosé in the pool is okay with me.
Le Toiny
Our second resort, Le Toiny, was a quiet retreat tucked in the green mountainside on the other end of the island. Every inch of the resort felt serene, like we had discovered a private oasis of sorts. We spent our days there sipping rosé at the pool, and relaxing in the privacy of our rooms. We trekked the hilly, goat-studded mountainside next to our hotel and visited many of the island’s beaches that each felt like private Caribbean treasures- unspoiled, raw, stunning. Brett tooled us around the island in a little blue Moke, a vehicle that drove like a go-cart and sported a testy gear shift and a tarped roof. I gained a few gray hairs skidding around the island on those four wheels, but I’ll be darned if we didn’t make some memories.
Eden Rock had some serious rockstar vibes. If you’re looking for cool factor, delicious breakfast, and perfect beachside cocktails, Eden Rock is the place.
BBC
There were a lot of highlights on our trip, but one of my absolute favorite discoveries was the BBC- Bailey’s, banana, and coconut. The BBC is a blended frozen drink made with fresh banana, cream of coconut, and a touch of booze from a shot of Bailey’s. I ordered one on the first day of our trip and it was love at first taste. Creamy, tropical, and ultra-decadent, the BBC replaced every space in my heart previously occupied by pina coladas, mudslides, and the good ole’ Miami Vice. The BBC and I are new forever friends.
Upon returning from our vacation, I began taste testing some of my own and eventually decided to up the ante be creating a BBC popsicle. I’m a firm believer that cocktails and dessert are always appropriate, so combining the two seemed like a natural fit. After a few test runs, I landed the perfect mixture of booze, fruit, and cream, and now I can relive my St. Barth’s trip (sans the boobs) with my very own BBC popsicles.
How to Make Them
This boozy treat does not disappoint. With only three ingredients, six if you count the chocolate shell and shredded coconut, these BBC popsicles are simple to prepare, inexpensive to make, and the coolest way to bring some booze to your beach parties from here on out. To make your own BBC popsicles, simply combine 1/2 cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream with 1 cup of cream of coconut and 2 large bananas in a blender. Puree until smooth and pour the mixture into a popsicle mold. I use this one at home, but you can check out my post here for some ideas on how to make popsicles if you don’t have a mold.
The Chocolate Shell
Once the pops are frozen solid, you have the option of dipping them in chocolate. Simply melt together some bittersweet chocolate and coconut oil, stirring until glossy and smooth. Dip the unmolded BBC popsicles into the chocolate mixture and sprinkle on some toasted coconut, if you’re into that kind of thing. Allow them to firm back up in the freezer or feel free to dive right in! The chocolate shell can soften the popsicle, so just know you’re in for a mess if you opt to eat them right away.
The booze in these BBC popsicles is 100% necessary, but be sure to get your measurements right. Alcohol doesn’t freeze so if you add too much booze or not enough banana and coconut, you may wind up with mushy pops on your hands. The chocolate shell is completely optional, but I think it certainly makes them a little more festive.
I’m leaving you all a list with our favorite things to eat and do in St. Barth’s. If you plan to head that way any time soon, please consider these a must. If I ever make my way to St. Barth’s again, I can promise you I’ll find a BBC. In the meantime, what are your favorite beach drinks? Are there any Caribbean locations I need to add to my bucket list?
A dessert take on the popular beach cocktail, these BBC popsicles are sweet and creamy, made from Bailey’s, banana, and coconut. The whole thing is dipped in a chocolate shell and sprinkled with toasted coconut.
Author:Kate Wood
Prep Time:5
Cook Time:360
Total Time:6 hours 5 minutes
Yield:10
Ingredients
For the popsicles:
2 large bananas (about 280 gm total once peeled)
½ cup (120 mL) Bailey’s Irish Cream Liquor
1 cup (240 mL) cream of coconut
½ cup (120 mL) water
For the chocolate shell:
½ cup (90 gm) bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil
¼ cup toasted coconut, if desired
Instructions
Combine all of the popsicle ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Divide the mixture among 10 popsicles molds (see notes), insert the popsicles sticks, and freeze until solid for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
Once frozen solid, remove the popsicles from the molds and place on a sheet of parchment paper in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate shell.
Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring thoroughly after each round until smooth. Once smooth, allow to cool about 5 minutes. Then, dip each popsicle in the chocolate shell and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Place back in the freezer to freeze solid or enjoy immediately.
Notes
I use a popsicle mold that makes 10-2.5 ounces popsicles. Your yield will change if you make smaller or larger popsicles. The preparation and ingredients will remain the same.
The alcohol in these popsicles will cause them to melt faster than some popsicles. Be sure to keep them frozen until you’re ready to enjoy them.
If you are unable to find large bananas, use a few smaller ones. Total weight of the edible portion should be 280 gm.
The chocolate shell is entirely optional. For a quick boozy treat, just skip the shell.
We’re going to talk popsicles soon- roasted strawberry and buttermilk popsicles to be precise. After all, you guys come here for the recipes, right? But first, let’s talk about moms and what happens when they go wild, ok?
Girls’ Night Out
A few weeks ago, I traveled with some girlfriends to Montgomery for a ladies’ night out. No boys allowed. If you’ve never been apart of a mom’s night out, I’ll fill you in on the dirty deets- we get wild. Not wet t-shirt contest wild or keg stand wild. But take 10 women who have had it up to their eyeballs with dirty diapers and hectic work schedules, give them a babysitter and a designated driver, and just wait… stuff is about to get real.
Of course it doesn’t always start that way. Our evenings usually begin with pleasantries like “Who is keeping your kiddos tonight? Did you ever find anyone to hem that dress?” But slowly, after everyone catches their breath from their busy days, people begin to unwind. Looking around, you can almost see everyone begin to relax, shedding the mom vibes and slipping into a more personal, carefree version of themselves.
Fun Moms
Given enough time (and wine), Moms can and will get rowdy. At one point, I felt like I was in one of those snippets from a movie about bad moms. One girl tells a funny story, and the table erupts with laughter. Someone cracks a dirty joke, and another suggests tequila shots. More cocktails, another spoonful of dessert, more rounds of laughter. Everyone is leaned forward with enlivened eyes, engaged and eagerly anticipating the conversation.
Our table got loud, and I have no doubt that in that moment, everyone in the restaurant was thinking, “these ladies need to get it together.” But do you know what? I don’t care. We might hold it together for our kids and stay super responsible at work, but Moms still reserve the right to let their hair town. The girls were out on the town and it. was. awesome.
Letting Loose
Since that dinner, I’ve had a number of other let loose moments. I traveled to Las Vegas with college girlfriends for the Backstreet Boys concert and 72 hours of poolside cocktails. I danced to EDM (Electronic Dance Music, for those of you who, like me, are entirely dated when it comes to music) and wore my very first (and probably last) crop top. And I spent precisely 10 minutes watching a round of Blackjack and almost even got up the nerve to try my hand at it. (Sidenote: I saved my 20 dollars and bought rosé instead. #winning.)
To be frank, sometimes my life and the responsibility of parenthood makes me feel old. I look in the mirror, and the woman staring back at me has forehead wrinkles and an alarming number of gray hairs. She’s got a crusted smear of baby food on the shoulder of her t-shirt and there’s smudges from yesterday’s mascara under her eyes. She’s not glamorous, but dangit, she desperately craves a little bit of it every once in a while.
So if you go out for dinner one night and there’s a table of rowdy moms next to you, let them have their fun. Try to overlook the shrieking laughter. Pretend you don’t hear those out-of-turn references to the male anatomy. Don’t shoot them dirty glances if they linger a little too long at their table. Chances are, the ladies at that table need a few minutes to refuel. They need to feel young and fancy and carefree for just one meal. Let them have that.
Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Popsicles
These roasted strawberry and buttermilk popsicles don’t feel like mom food. Typically, popsicles are drippy treats reserved just for kids. But these roasted strawberry and buttermilk popsicles are not your average $1.50 ice cream truck goodies. These little frozen dreams are entirely grown up and sophisticated in flavor- a delicious and cheeky dessert perfectly suited for wild and crazy mamas.
Making the Popsicles
Making these roasted strawberry and buttermilk popsicles is incredibly simple. We start by roasting a pound of fresh strawberries. A little sugar, vanilla, and a sprinkle of salt is all it takes to make the berries burst with rich flavors and juices. Once the berries are toasty, we mash them to a thick puree and allow it to cool while we make the creamy portion of the popsicles. Buttermilk is the star here, providing a creamy tang to offset the syrupy berries. We also add milk and simple syrup, which amps up the sweetness and helps to keep the popsicles from becoming too icy. Both the cream and the fruit mixture gets poured into popsicle molds before they head to the freezer to firm up. (Sidenote: I use this popsicle mold, in case you’re wondering.)
Once frozen, these roasted strawberry and buttermilk popsicles are the perfect balance of sweet, tart, creamy, and tang. This is a simple, fuss-free dessert that will help to make those warm summer nights just a little bit cooler. And if you don’t have a popsicle mold, you can invest in this one that I recommend, or simply pour your mixture into a mold of another sort! Try freezing your popsicles in individual plastic cups or ice cube trays, or check out this article from Kitchn four some great ideas on how to make homemade popsicles without a mold. Do whatever you need to do to get some popsicles in your freezer ASAP, because you need these roasted strawberry and buttermilk popsicles in your life.
The Moral of the Story
Popsicles are good, but roasted strawberry and buttermilk popsicles are better. Moms are great, but a mom with a healthy balance of fun in their life is even better. Make this recipe for the moms in your life (or yourself!) and just try to tell me you don’t agree. I’m sharing today’s recipe with a ton of other bloggers who will be heating things up with frozen treats this week to celebrate #popsicleweek . Many thanks to Billy of Wit & Vinegar for hosting this sweetness. Check out all of the other bloggers involved here!
If you like roasted strawberry and buttermilk popsicles, you should make:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the strawberries, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste and pinch of salt on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven, tossing occasionally, for 15 minutes. The juices should release. Scrape the contents of the pan into a blender or food processor and allow to cool briefly. Cover the hot mixture with a lid and carefully pulse the until all of the large strawberry pieces have been broken down and the mixture is now a thick, chunky puree. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, heavy cream, simple syrup, and remaining vanilla bean paste. Whisk until combined. Transfer the mixture to a liquid measuring cup or something you can easily pour with. Pour the buttermilk mixture into your prepared popsicle molds, filling the mold until they are about 2/3 of the way full. Top the buttermilk mixture with a bit of the strawberry mixture, being sure to not overfill. Insert your popsicle sticks and freeze according to the popsicle mold instructions for at least 7 hours or until frozen solid. Enjoy frozen!
Notes
You can purchase simple syrup at the store, but I make my own. Combine equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Stir occasionally, cooking until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool in a heat safe container. I usually cook 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar and store in a mason jar in my fridge.
If your popsicle mold is larger or smaller than mine, this recipe will yield different amounts. The recipe as written will make 10-2.5 ounces popsicles. When pouring your molds, be sure to make your popsicles about 2/3 buttermilk mixture and 1/3 strawberries. You can also swirl the two together if you’d like.
Just in time for Memorial Day, it’s here. The easiest no-churn coffee cookie dough ice cream that is sure to rock the face off of all of your weekend festivites. Don’t believe me? Then take a spare 25 minutes and give it a try for yourself.
This no-churn coffee cookie dough ice cream is a result of my poor decision making, born out of my inability to choose a favorite ice cream flavor. Shopping for ice cream at the grocery store requires a ridiculous amount of mental focus for me. How anyone is able to choose just one flavor is beyond me. Mint chocolate chip or coffee crunch? Strawberry cheesecake or birthday cake? Gelato or fro-yo? I ask you, WHO IS STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS?
I think we need to bring back the guy who created the Neapolitan flavor. Combining three in one, that guy knew what was up. Or the groundbreaking marketing guy at Panera who came up with the “You Pick Two” concept. Let’s get them in the ice cream plants and start creating half gallons filled with coconut sorbet and vanilla bean. Rocky road and butter pecan. Peanut butter brownie and caramel swirl. WHO IS WITH ME?
With this no-churn coffee cookie dough ice cream, you don’t have to choose. You get the best of two worlds- the subtle punch of espresso and swirls of hot fudge, mixed with nuggets of sweet and salty no-bake chocolate chip cookie dough in every single bite. It’s the stuff dreams are made of. The best part is that this frozen treat requires no ice cream maker or special equipment, and i requires only about 25 minutes of active prep time. Lucky you.
Making the Dough
We get started making this ice cream by doing work on the cookie dough. It’s a magical recipe, really, with just a little butter, sugar, and flour. Throw in some mini chocolate chips and you’re looking at a party! The dough works best if you let it chill briefly. That way, the dough crumbles easily into little bite-sized nibs that are perfect for folding into your ice cream mixture.
Making the Ice Cream
The coffee ice cream base comes together with literally only three ingredients- heavy cream, espresso powder, and sweetened condensed milk. The espresso powder (instant coffee will work in a pinch) gets dissolved in the heavy cream before it gets whipped to oblivion. We’re looking for thick, fluffy peaks here. To sweeten it up, we fold in an entire can of sweetened condensed milk which gives us a super creamy ice cream once frozen. All of those chocolate chip cookie dough nibs get folded into the ice cream base and- Voilà!- no-churn coffee cookie dough ice cream. If you’re feeling extra jazzy, you can do like I did and drizzle in some chocolate fudge sauce. I prefer this recipe, but you can use whichever you like.
It’s no accident that I’m sharing this recipe today. If you can’t munge on hot dogs and salty chips and creamy scoops if ice cream on a summer holiday like Memorial Day, WHEN CAN YOU? These summer days are meant for melty cones of frozen dessert, laying in the grass, and breathing in the sights and sounds of summer. So do yourself a favor and do it- take it all in.
If you’ve always wanted to make ice cream but are unsure or don’t know how, try this one. You won’t be disappointed with the outcome of this no-churn coffee cookie dough ice cream situation. And to the families who are quietly observing tomorrow’s holiday, remembering their loved ones who were lost while fighting for their country, thank you. Today, we grieve with you. We honor your family and extend our deepest gratitude for their sacrifice. I pray that you hold your chin high tomorrow knowing that a nation of people have hope and promise because of their work.
If you like this No-Churn Coffee Cookie Dough Ice Cream, you may like:
This no-churn coffee cookie dough ice cream is a java scented ice cream base speckled with chunks of salty chocolate chip cookie dough and drizzles of hot fudge sauce.
Author:Kate Wood
Prep Time:25
Total Time:25 minutes
Category:Dessert
Ingredients
For the cookie dough
½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (130 gm) brown sugar
1/3 cup (65 gm) sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup (100 gm) flour
1 cup (150 gm) mini chocolate chips
For the coffee ice cream
2 cups (480 mL) heavy whipping cream
1–1/2 tablespoons instant espresso
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup warmed hot fudge sauce (optional)
Instructions
To prepare the cookie dough
Beat the butter on medium speed in a medium sized bowl until smooth. Add the brown sugar and sugar and continue beating on medium to cream together, about 1 minute. Add the salt, vanilla, and flour and beat on low just until all of the ingredients are combined. Add the chocolate chips and beat to combine. Place the cookie dough in the fridge to cool if desired. Once chilled, the dough should easily crumble into 1/8” dough balls. Set aside in the fridge while you make the ice cream.
To prepare the coffee ice cream
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the espresso powder over the top of the heavy cream. Stir together to combine so that the espresso powder begins dissolving. You can add a teaspoon more or less of espresso to this recipe depending on your taste preferences. After about five minutes, the espresso powder should be nearly dissolved. Stir together once more. Use a whip attachment to beat on low speed until frothy and then increase the speed to medium high until whipped to stiff peaks. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a separate large bowl and then fold in about half of the whipped cream. Once well distributed, fold in the remaining half of whipped cream.
To assemble the ice cream
Sprinkle the cookie dough bites into the ice cream base and fold together. (If you prefer a creamier, less chunky ice cream, you may want to start with adding about 2/3 of the chunks and saving the rest for later. I love a super chunky ice cream, but you may prefer not using all of the dough. You decide!) Spread ¼ of the mixture into the bottom of a metal loaf pan or another freezer safe container. Drizzle in some of the hot fudge sauce. Repeat this process three more times until most of the ice cream mixture and fudge sauce has been used. I usually have about ½ cup of leftover ice cream that I freeze in a separate container. Cover with foil and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours or overnight. Enjoy frozen!
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